Product Review: Oster Mane and Tail Brush

The first piece of horse equipment I ever bought for Tristan, almost ten years ago now, was a cheap hair brush at a CVS. I still have it, more out of nostalgia than anything else. It wasn’t a great brush, though, and I basically stopped using it pretty quickly.

Tris has an incredibly thick and long mane and tail. I know people say never to brush them but if I didn’t work on them on a semi-regular basis they would be nothing but dreadlocks. In fact, even with me grooming him every day and checking his mane and tail regularly he had a huge dreadlock in his mane that I had to pick out. Let’s not even talk about his talent for picking up thistles.

To give you a sense of just how thick his tail is.

A smart friend recommended this to me as the best brush she owns. She’s ruthlessly practical and not spendy, so I took her at her word and bought one myself. I. Love. It. It’s tough to pinpoint exactly why, but in all honesty this is the greatest mane and tail brush ever. I am kind of picky about grooming stuff: my stiff brush has to be just the right stiffness, and I have 4 soft brushes of varying softnesses. I have small, stiff hands so they have to be easy to use. This brush? Is perfect.

I actually have a set of the other Oster grooming tools, too, and they live in my show/travel tack trunk in my trailer, but they’re just brushes. This is magic.

Caveat: I never just straight-up brush his mane and tail. Thick as they are, that’s just asking for it. But I always keep a bottle of detangler in my grooming kit, too – more on that in a future product review – and when his mane or tail are getting a bit gnarly I will apply liberally to the area, pick through with my fingers, and then use this comb. I always do it in pieces – for the tail I start at the bottom and work my way up, and for the mane I isolate a few inches at a time. Similarly, after I’ve used conditioner in his mane or tail when bathing I’ll do the same thing. Yes, I pull some hairs out, but his tail after it’s been cleaned and combed through is really wonderful.